Sunday farmers market approved for Alamo, set to make debut July 27

ALAMO -- Area residents on the hunt for fresh produce will have one more local option starting in July, with the formation of a new Sunday farmers market in Alamo Square.

The Contra Costa County Zoning Administrator on Monday approved plans for a weekly farmers market in Alamo, to be held every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot adjacent to the Bank of America along Danville Boulevard and Stone Valley Road. Opening day (with a ribbon-cutting ceremony) has been set for July 27.

"At the end of the day, I'm just excited about the idea of having this farmers market in town, and I think it's going to be a boon and a benefit for everybody," said Bill Harlow of All Bay Farmers Market Association, which is working with Colliers International, the company that oversees Alamo Square and applied for the market. "And it will serve as a source of pride for the town of Alamo."

For the plans to be approved, the applicants had to agree to a list of conditions, including doing garbage cleanup from the market and using space efficiently enough to not adversely affect parking availability. Alcohol sales will not be permitted.

County staff reviewed the project and concluded that it was consistent with Alamo's general plan and that it would "serve to promote health and general wellness within the local community," according to a county staff report.

County Principal Planner Telma Moreira, who served as the zoning administrator for the meeting, also set limits for how long vendors' stands could be up each market day; vendors will be allowed to show up starting at 7:30 a.m. and must be gone by 2 p.m. Harlow asked for a 7 a.m. start time and said a two-hour setup is typical. But Moreira said it was important to set up a later time out of respect for area residents, and Harlow agreed to the limit.

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Aside from the applicants and county staff, almost no one attended Tuesday's meeting. No members of the public other than Harlow commented on the proposal.

After the opening date of July 27, the market will run through November. Beginning in 2015, it will run weekly for about half the year, from May through November.